Family

When we welcome someone into our home for the first time, one of the first questions my husband and I receive is about the two jars of marbles we have on display. We use this question as a chance to share why we’re passionate about intentional parenting and how it relates to us as a homeschool family.

You see, we have a jar for our ten year-old son and one for our five year-old daughter. His jar is one third of the way full, hers half full. Each jar started with nearly a thousand marbles but the number of marbles in each jar is shrinking quickly. That’s because we remove a marble from each jar every Monday to remind us to make the most of the moments we have with our children.

I wish I could take credit for the idea, but we bought our marble kits from a church curriculum supplier. The thought behind the jars of marbles is that a visual reminder of time will inspire parents to make the most of the the time remaining before children reach adulthood.

Making the most of the time remaining sounds nice, but it’s not always easy to implement considering the breakneck pace that has become the standard in society. Thankfully, as homeschool families, we don’t have to live that way. Instead, we can approach our days through the lens of intentional parenting and take advantage of the time given to us through the homeschool lifestyle.

How to Embrace Intentional Parenting Through Homeschooling

Lead by Example

Intentional parenting isn’t about being perfect and getting it right all the time. Intentional parenting – at its core – is leading by example. That said, there must be an awareness of the example we provide.

Our children experience this daily as we teach, provide for, and nurture them. They watch how we respond to the world around us. They learn how to treat their friends and neighbors by watching how we treat ours. More than that, they learn how to love – or not love – difficult people by how well we love the difficult people in our lives.

Like it or not, leading by example happens by default due to the homeschool lifestyle. Our good and bad is on display more often than not. When we fail, honesty and admission go a long way in leading our kids. After all, homeschool moms need grace and forgiveness like everyone else.

Look for Teaching Moments

A normal homeschool day is loaded with teaching moments. That sounds like an obvious statement, but the kind of teaching moments that stem from intentional parenting are more about life lessons and character development than academia.

These teaching moments might occur while noticing the mistakes or heroic qualities of key figures in lessons from (affiliate link) The Mystery of History. They may come while bringing attention to overarching themes in read-alouds. They might even happen naturally in our homeschools as we navigate challenges and victories throughout our days together.

Teaching moments aren’t reserved for homeschool hours alone. Look for discussion points as you travel, run errands together, watch television, or play. If you’re mindful of these opportunities to teach character and model love, you’ll see these moments become a natural part of your family environment. You’ll also learn that they provide an easy opportunity to embrace intentional parenting.

Homeschool with the End in Mind

On the hard days, the good days, and everything in between, the key to intentional parenting is focusing on what we want our children to be. By this, I don’t mean career choices or varying degrees of financial success. This is about what kind of people we want our children to become. It’s homeschooling with the end in mind.

Your answer may be worded differently than ours, but we want our children to be difference makers and world changers. We want them to be life-giving people with hearts for God and for others. Leading by example and looking for teaching moments certainly play a role in bringing these dreams for our children to life, but this is also true of homeschooling with the end in mind.

We homeschool with the end in mind by embracing the gifts of homeschool and by taking advantage of things that set homeschooling apart from other educational options. That might look like encouraging our children to develop their unique gifts or pursuing areas of interest. It may look more like providing a relaxed homeschool setting that promotes a love of learning over academic achievement. Alternately, homeschooling with the end in mind might be more about challenging our children to dive deeper into difficult subjects and push through the hard spots in the homeschool journey.

Homeschooling with the end in mind will look different from family to family because no two children are completely alike. And, just like our children, our homeschools are at their very best when we celebrate what makes them unique and learn to use those differences to our advantage. Indeed, that’s why intentional parenting and homeschooling pair together so nicely.

In closing, remember that intentional parenting doesn’t have to be some intimidating expectation or unattainable ideal. It’s about remembering that time matters, using your influence wisely, and making the most of the moments you have with your children.

Theodor Seuss Geisel (March 2-1904-September 24, 1991), otherwise known as Dr. Seuss, was the author and illustrator of 48 children books. His simple rhyming stories along with fun and interesting characters are wonderful for children learning to read. Many of his stories carry important timeless messages that can be enjoyed by children and adults of all ages. Because of these reasons, Dr Seuss continues to be the best selling author of children’s books in the world. Every year on March 2nd, Dr. Seuss Day is celebrated to promote the importance of reading and celebrate Dr. Seuss.

5 activities for Dr. Seuss Day

Read Dr. Seuss Books.

Set up a table with your family’s favorite Dr. Seuss books to read throughout the day. Visit the library and pick up some Dr. Seuss books that you have never read before. Read some aloud as a family or let older children read to younger. Everyone loves reading Dr. Seuss!

Write like Dr. Seuss.

Students can make up some characters of their own and write a short poem about them. Or they could pick a section of a Dr. Seuss book and change some of the rhyming words to make it into something new.

Make a Dr. Seuss themed meal.

How about a Cat in the Hat Pizza for lunch along with One Fish Two Fish, Red Fish Blue Fish, Truffula Fruits, Pink Yink Ink Drink, and Green Eggs and Ham cookies for dessert?

To make a simple Cat in the Hat pizza shape homemade or store bought pizza dough in the shape of a hat. Put your sauce over top and cover with cheese. Make 4 horizontal rows of pepperoni to make them look like stripes on the hat. Bake in a 425 degree oven for 10-12 minutes or until cheese is melted and dough is golden brown.

To make Green Eggs and Ham cookies, make and bake round sugar cookies. Decorate with white icing and place a green M & M on the cookie.

Make a pitcher of pink lemonade and place a Pink Yink Ink sign beside it. Goldfish can go in a clear container that each child can scoop their fish out off. Truffula Fruits (grapes) can be put in labeled muffin cup liners.

Study Science with Dr. Seuss.

Read the Cat in the Hat and do a study on the water cycle. You could also do a study on the effects on pollution after reading the Lorax.

Another fun idea is to read Bartholomew and the Oobleck, make oobleck and talk about it. This recipe is simple and so much fun to play with, although it is messy. Use 1 cup of water, 1.5 to 2 cups of corn starch and a few drops of food coloring. Mix the water into the corn starch until you get mixture that will roll up into a ball when you close your hand but go liquid when you open your hand.

Add some Dr. Seuss themed P.E. Activities to your day.

How about a Horton Hatches the Egg race? All you need is a big bouncy ball that a child can sit on. Have your children sit on the balls and bounce them to the finish line.

Or you could have a Cat in the Hat race. See who can get to the finish line and back while balancing books on their heads.

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.” Dr. Seuss Oh The Places You’ll Go

How have you celebrated Dr. Seuss Day with your children? Tell us in the comments!

You have taken the time to weigh the pros and cons of a homeschool co-op. You’ve decided it would be a good option for your family. What things can you do to ensure a successful co-op experience?

Evaluate Your Schedule

If your schedule is already full, adding in co-op classes could create more stress than enjoyment for you and your kids. Take time to evaluate your weekly commitments. Do you have time to add in another activity? It might be wise to remove one or two activities from your schedule before adding in co-op.

You will want to consider your homeschool schedule as well. Think about how much school work you have at home to complete.

Will adding in additional classes hinder you from completing the work you want to do at home? Take a look at your curriculum. Are there things that overlap with a class your child will be taking? Perhaps you can eliminate or lessen those subjects at home.

Does the co-op offer classes that can alleviate some of your workload? A science lab or literature discussion group that goes along with what your kids are learning about at home can take a task off your plate.

Would you be able to switch to a four day school week at home? This would allow you to dedicate the 5th day to co-op classes. You and your kids will enjoy co-op a lot more if you aren’t trying to squeeze in regular school work alongside co-op classes.

Research Before You Join

Each homeschool co-op has its own requirements for participation in the group. Make sure you understand what those requirements are and whether or not you can fulfill them. You won’t enjoy the co-op experience if you’re continually frustrated with abiding by the groups rules.

Look to see if the values and beliefs of the co-op are in line with your own. Remember that other parents will be teaching your kids. Choosing a group that shares your values can make the experience more pleasant for everyone.

Taking time to research the group before you join can prevent a year of co-op frustration. Try to find a group that you and your kids will feel comfortable participating in.

Teach Kids Co-op Etiquette

You probably started homeschooling because you didn’t want your kids in a classroom all day. However, most co-ops operate like mini-schools. Your children will need to know the rules for being in a group setting when learning is taking place.

Every co-op runs a little differently but here are a few general co-op etiquette rules to get you started.

Raise your hand when you want to talk.

Use the restroom before class starts.

Do not talk to friends when the teacher is talking.

Show respect to the teacher.

Keep your hands to yourself.

Respect others opinions, insight and questions.

These might seem like common sense to you but your kids may not be aware of these basic courtesies. It is also helpful to familiarize yourself with any other policies the group may have such as a dress code or the procedure for dealing with conflict among children in the group.

Knowing what is required of them will help your children enjoy the co-op experience a lot more.

Prepare the Night Before

The excitement for co-op day is quickly squelched when everyone is running behind. Nobody likes feeling rushed, especially kids.

Spend some time preparing for co-op the night before. This will alleviate some stress and will ensure that you don’t forget anything in the mad rush out the door. Here are some things you can do to prepare for co-op classes the night before.

Prepare snacks and lunches.

Choose the outfits you and your kids will be wearing to co-op. Set the entire outfit out including socks, shoes and jackets.

Load backpacks and bags with everything you need for co-op. Make sure your kids have all their assignments, books and supplies packed up and ready to go.

Fill up the gas tank in your car. The day before co-op, check the gas level in your car and make a trip to the gas station if you need to fill up. You’ll save yourself a lot of time if you don’t have to swing by the gas station on your way to classes.

Many homeschool families are blessed to be a part of a co-op. Hopefully these tips will get you off on the right foot and help you to have a successful co-op experience.

*Click here to learn about the discounts and licensing agreements offered by Bright Ideas Press for homeschool co-ops.

With nine kids and twenty years of parenting, I definitely have experience with family game nights — especially failed game nights. To be honest, I cringe inside whenever someone mentions family game night. I hope I’m not the only one. Since I’m an expert, I thought I’d share my tips on how to ruin a family game night.

1. Don’t pre-select any games.

Sending your kids into the game closet to agree on games can be a recipe for disaster. It may even turn into a wrestling match. If you limit their choices to a few games, you’ll get to play sooner.

2. Expect all your children to play the same game at once.

If you have younger kids and older kids, it will be best to have a few games for the little ones to play while the older kids tackle Risk or Life or some other really long game with Dad.

3. Make it a late night.

We all know that our kids are on their best worst behavior when they’re tired. So why not start a game night just an hour before bedtime? Unless it’s New Year’s Eve, start the game night early.

4. Play the same game every time.

If you find a game that everyone in your family loves and can play together, then stick with it as long as they seem interested. But most of the time, kids enjoy switching things around.

5. Pick a messy snack.

The gooiest dessert you can make and the stickiest drinks in open cups are a sure-fire way to ruin a family game night. When sister passes the chocolate-coated dice and the toddler spills apple juice onto the game board, someone is sure to have a melt-down.

6. Multi-task all night.

My kids love it when I only give them half my attention. What about yours? I didn’t think so. Put the smartphone away, stop sneaking peeks at your laptop, don’t try to do chores between turns, and focus on the kids. It’s only two hours.

7. Start with an incomplete game.

When you’re pre-selecting games, take a moment to be sure all the pieces are in the box because when the kids finally agree on a game — after fifteen minutes of negotiations, you won’t want to make them start all over again.

8. Turn everything into a teachable moment.

Important lessons can be learned while playing games with your family, but we don’t have to preach a sermon at every opportunity. A quiet reminder to play fairly or be a good sport will be more effective than a lecture that gets tuned out and spoils the fun.

9. Stick to your schedule.

So you plan to play the first game for 45 minutes, have a snack, and then play another game for an hour. But the kids are tired of game one and ready to move on after 20 minutes. Or the first game is such a hit that they want to keep playing it for three hours. Just relax and follow their lead.

10. Expect every moment to be picture-perfect.

Families are rarely picture-perfect, and neither are family events. But the best memories are made when you overlook the messes. Don’t give up after the first squabble or the fourth. Don’t give up if the last game night was a big disappointment. Take a deep breath. Or two or three. And try again.

Family game nights are a fun way to unwind with our kids and spend quality time as a family. Family history and culture are forged in those moments. The memories of family jokes, funny stories, and good feelings outweigh the frustrations.

We’ve had our share of failed family game nights: board games thrown, tempers flaring, crying preschoolers who wanted to play a game that was too hard— you name it. That’s not what our kids remember when we talk about family games, though. They remember the time their aunts or grandpa played with them. They remember beating Mom at Scrabble for the first time.

At the moment, we’ve just come through another time of caring for an elderly family member during hospitalization and death. While we hosted family and planned a funeral, our homeschool was pushed to the side. We tried to keep the kids going, but my attention was split between helping my husband, grieving with him, and trying to keep our home company-ready. There wasn’t much of me available for school time, and the kids didn’t do very well on auto-pilot.

A little perspective goes a long way. There are three things I’ve found to be helpful in realigning my own thoughts.

The Family is the Lesson

You may have heard the phrase, “The baby is the lesson.” I love the idea that our children learn life lessons from the interruptions a new baby brings. The reality is that they also learn life lessons from the difficult times that disrupt our homeschool lessons. In times of grieving, they learn to serve others, to grieve in a healthy way, and to honor family relationships.

We are a Family Not a School

Once upon a time, I suggested to my husband a very structured approach for our family routine. I compared our family to a business. My husband responded, “We’re a family, not a business.”

I have to remind myself of this frequently. When I’m frustrated that life is interrupting my homeschool plans, I have to remember, “We’re a family not a school.” Math and science are very important, but so are the lessons our family learns when we pull together to get through difficult times.

Flexibility is a Gift and a Skill

Homeschooling provides flexibility in our children’s education:

We can slow down when we need to.

We can take a break if we have to.

We can catch up in the summer.

Although flexibility is a gift that comes with homeschooling, it’s also a skill we have to practice. For some of us, it’s harder to embrace flexibility and change. But after 17 years of homeschooling, I can promise you this — it will be okay.

Maybe you won’t finish your spelling lessons or that research project this year, but it will be okay. Your children will learn the basics they need in their education if you just keep plugging away. Do what you can, when you can. Keep them reading. Find educational games and movies to occupy their minds when you can’t sit down and teach an actual lesson. Remember, they’re watching you, and they’re learning more from how you handle these hardships than from their textbooks.

They’re learning lessons that will carry them through their own trials in the future. They’re learning where to find strength, how to handle disappointments, and how to communicate. So put the schedule aside, relax, pray, have those difficult discussions, and work together as a family. It will be okay.